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View Full Version : BA 744 looses #3 Cowling and return to LHR without it


hiss srq
2011-01-15, 12:34 PM
Yesterday a Speedbird 744 came in late morning and was missing the #4 cowling for the thrust reverser after arrival.... Today to my astonishment she departed still sans the cowling system exposing the entire aft portion of the engine.... I grabbed a few pictures from my blackberry.
http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/3228/img01525201101150910.th.jpg (http://img11.imageshack.us/i/img01525201101150910.jpg/)

http://img64.imageshack.us/img64/2359/img01526201101150910.th.jpg (http://img64.imageshack.us/i/img01526201101150910.jpg/)
gonzalu
2011-01-15, 01:45 PM
Darn, I almost made it over there too for morning spotting, was able to get there after 2:30p :-(

Amazing they would allow such a thing. Wouldn't it affect the engine components at high speed? or from other debris? or drag?
Lrusso
2011-01-15, 03:23 PM
I'm not all that surprized. I remember a few years ago a BA 747 flying LAX-LHR lost an engine on take off and flew across the pond on three.
PhilDernerJr
2011-01-15, 05:32 PM
If the cowling was gone, wouldn't the fans be exposed?
Futterman
2011-01-15, 06:06 PM
If the cowling was gone, wouldn't the fans be exposed?

Without a cowling, this is what an engine looks like:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1e/Turbofan640.jpg
PhilDernerJr
2011-01-15, 06:17 PM
Exactly...looks like the engine is covered up to me, but just with an unpainted cowling.
hiss srq
2011-01-16, 06:16 AM
No, it is defineately one of the cowling's... The Cowling peice where the Thrust Reverser would normally deploy is completely gone on it... There is a physical structure missing from the airplane in these pictures... From my office I have a very good view of Alpha...
PhilDernerJr
2011-01-16, 04:12 PM
A temp cover it may be, but is any of the engine actually exposed?

And, it was taxiing there to depart? How do you know it wasn't taxiing to Hangar 19 or something?
hiss srq
2011-01-16, 04:32 PM
Look at it closely, there is no cover. Look at the shadows... And also, as far as it actually flying... It departed that way... I have a solid 360 view nearly minus T4 in the way and one of my companies jets was qued behind him. It defineately flew.
Futterman
2011-01-16, 08:20 PM
Looks like we are now missing the #1 starting photo.

Can we MEL it or will this thread drop dead?